


(hair)-tied together

by stupidbadgers



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Iruka's Hair Tie, KakaIru Mini Bang 2020, M/M, Mostly Fluff, hair ties, red-string of fate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24567628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidbadgers/pseuds/stupidbadgers
Summary: sometimes finding your soulmate happens because a hair tie breaks
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 28
Kudos: 226
Collections: KakaIru Mini Bang 2020





	(hair)-tied together

**Author's Note:**

> what can i say? i love these two fools and i think they've been tied together by the Fates...
> 
> many thanks to [ firelily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelily13) for looking this over for me. all mistakes and errors are my own. 
> 
> many more thanks to [ Magnus, Rae, and TMO](https://kakairu-mini-bang.tumblr.com/about) for hosting this event.
> 
> enjoy~~

Kakashi hadn’t given much thought to soulmates or the thick red string that wrapped around his left wrist that only he could see. He could only feel guilt for the poor person who was saddled with him. Kakashi was no more than a tool for the Village Hidden in the Leaves, more often than not Hound, not Kakashi, barely a man anymore. 

Until he wasn’t Hound anymore. He was stripped of that identity and forced to find himself again, to become Kakashi the man so he could be Kakashi the sensei. What he didn’t expect to find along the road of life of discovering Kakashi the sensei, was his soulmate. 

He should have known it would have been because of Naruto, the product of Minato and Kushina. He was so much like both of them, in a way it almost felt as if they were still there, trying to care for Kakashi. It made his heart ache at times, seeing the boy that looked so much like both of his parents. It made him regret not being there for Naruto before, but made him strive to do better going forward. 

Finding his soulmate happened on a quiet afternoon. Kakashi didn’t actually know much about the way soulmates worked, despite Minato-sensei trying to explain it to him when he was young. It didn’t matter at the time, so he didn’t listen. All Kakashi had been worried about at that time was being the best shinobi, moving away from the shadow of his father’s mistakes. 

Kakashi hadn’t realized that this moment, in the warm mission room with the sun blazing through the windows, would irrevocably change his life. As he walked into the room to bring the mission report for Team 7 in, his heart jumped a little at the sight of Umino Iruka behind the desk. He had known Iruka for awhile, spoke with him on several occasions, usually at the mission desk (though not as often as he hoped, as ANBU reported directly to the Hokage), where he would inevitably be berated for his poor reports. He took a small amount of satisfaction from seeing the flush that spread across the chuunin's face right before he really lit into Kakashi; it pleased him more than he cared to admit. 

Today was different though. The report was filled out well and on time, leaving Kakashi with no reason to see that precious blush. As he approached the desk, he wondered about the way Iruka’s eyes lit up when he saw Kakashi. _Could he really be happy to see me?_

“Kakashi-san, good to see you,” Iruka greeted warmly. 

Warmth radiated through Kakashi like the sun that was streaming through the window, casting Iruka in an ethereal light. He forgot how conversations worked, his mouth not forming words. 

Iruka just smiled, big and happy, a hint of humor. 

“Is that a mission report?” he asked, nodding toward the scroll in Kakashi’s hand. “On time for once?” 

Thought processes returned to Kakashi's brain. He gave a slight cough, “oh, uh. Yes. It's for Team 7. Wouldn’t want them brought down by my reputation.” 

He meant it as a joke, but the slight down turn of Iruka's lips told him it fell flat. 

“They’re quite lucky to have you as their sensei, Kakashi-san.” 

The tips of Kakashi’s ears burned, as well as his cheeks. Iruka's words were so sincere and his face so earnest. Kakashi had no response as he handed over the report. Iruka looked it over with a hum, seemingly satisfied that it was filled out properly. He stamped it and set it to the side, looking back up at Kakashi with those big, brown eyes. 

“How is Naruto doing?” Iruka asked earnestly. “I haven’t had a chance to catch up with him, we’ve both been so busy.” 

“Quite well. He's come a long way in a short time. The compassion he shows for everyone is astounding, given the way he has been treated by the people of the village.” 

“He has a lot of love to give,” Iruka said, smiling softly. 

“Thanks to you, Iruka-sensei,” Kakashi replied, his eye turning up in a smile. 

Iruka sputtered, his face turning a lovely shade of pink, “I didn’t do anything.” 

Kakashi’s voice was serious when he spoke, “you showed him love and compassion when no one else did, Iruka. You taught him how to show those things as well. If not for you, Naruto could have turned out much different. Don’t discredit yourself.” 

Iruka’s eyes widened a bit, before he dipped his head in a nod, his face still burning. 

“Thank you, Kakashi-san,” he said quietly. He looked back up, his face framed by the glowing sun. 

Kakashi heard a snap, then Iruka’s hair was flowing against his shoulders, the light catching the chocolate locks and highlighting strands of red. Kakashi’s mouth went dry; he forgot how to breathe. Iruka was breathtaking. Kakashi had never seen anyone or anything so beautiful in his entire life. 

“Oh shoot,” Iruka muttered, searching his pockets, talking to himself. “How do I not have another hair tie?” 

Kakashi shook himself of his stupor. 

He looked at Iruka’s left wrist, confused that Iruka did not use the tie around his wrist. It was a startingly red color. It seemed a bold color choice for the sensei, but the color suited him. 

“Isn’t that one on your wrist, sensei?” 

“Hm?” Iruka’s nose scrunched in confusion. 

Kakashi reached forward to clasp his hand around Iruka’s wrist, to show him the red tie that rested there, a mirror of Kakashi’s own. As his pale fingers touched the band, a warmth blasted through Kakashi. His eye widened, gaze snapping to Iruka’s face, which was a mirror of his own expression. Iruka had grasped Kakashi’s wrist, the two holding each other in tight grips. Iruka’s fingers brushed the red band on Kakashi’s wrist, the one no else could see or feel. 

The room fell away from awareness. It was just Kakashi and Iruka, holding on to one another. A red string wrapped around Iruka’s forearm, coiling around it and continuing up Kakashi’s forearm before wrapping back down around where their skin connected. It held them together, uniting them. 

Kakashi and Iruka stared in awe at the red string as it worked their souls together, binding the two irrevocably, not as one being, but as two pieces of a puzzle making a whole picture. It settled in Kakashi’s chest like a weight, but not one he wished to be rid of. It felt like a part of him had found what people meant when they said “home.” There was a reverence to the feeling of home that he now understood, something he hadn’t had in a very long. 

Part of Kakashi, as the room came back into focus and settled, wanted to bolt, run as far as he could as fast as he could, because he _did not_ want to burden another, especially Umino Iruka, with the mess that was Hatake Kakashi; but the other part of him, the part that had been quietly observing, caring, and growing affection for the Academy sensei from afar, rooted him to the spot and kept his single grey eye trained on the beautiful man before him. 

They hadn’t let go of each other yet. Neither had any idea how much time had passed but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered in this timeless space between them except for the other. 

Iruka recovered first, barely, his mouth still gaping as his eyes moved back to Kakashi’s. 

“What... What just happened?” he finally managed to whisper. 

“It appears, sensei, that we have been bound together by the Fates.” 

Kakashi’s voice was stronger than he thought it would be when he answered, though he still spoke just as quietly as Iruka had. He had expected it to waver, stagger over his words. 

Shinobi instincts began to settle back in to place and Kakashi became aware of the other people in the room. Though there were not many, there were enough that it made Kakashi’s skin prickle, the feeling of being watched subtly washing over him. 

“Perhaps, Iruka-sensei, we could discuss this after your shift?” his voice held hope while his eye pled with Iruka to understand what he couldn’t say, that he was uncomfortable with the attention they were no doubt attracting by speaking for so long while essentially holding each other’s hands. 

Iruka widened his eyes as he looked from Kakashi’s face to their joined hands, like he forgot they were connected. He let go abruptly, as if the contact had seared his flesh. Kakashi felt cold as soon as Iruka released him. 

“Oh, um, yes. Yes, I think that might be good. I have another hour here. Would you—” 

“I’ll meet you in front of the building in an hour,” Kakashi replied quickly, giving a brief smile with his eye before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. 

Iruka sat, more than a little confused by everything that had just happened. He was still staring idly at the spot where Kakashi had been moments before when someone cleared their throat in front of him. He realized someone had approached the desk, waiting to turn in a report. 

“My apologies, welcome back jounin-san. Let’s see your report,” he said, holding out his hand. The rest of his shift was done on autopilot, his mind completely absorbed in what had happened between him and Kakashi. 

When it was finally time for his shift to end, he didn’t hesitate in grabbing his things and bolting for the door. Iruka had been quietly observing Kakashi for awhile, learning about the other man from mutual friends and, of course, Naruto (though his version of things were always taken with a grain of salt). He had been concerned about the genin being assigned to Kakashi, but was happy to discover they would be in good hands. 

As Iruka learned more about the Copy-Nin, he became more intrigued and before he could stop it, something more had developed. His heart beat faster every time he spotted the man. The delight on Kakashi’s face when Iruka would berate him over his reports fueled the sparks that were trying to set Iruka’s heart ablaze. 

Iruka wouldn’t say he was in love with Kakashi, but he was close, on the precipice of falling head over heels, irrevocably so. 

And he feared, wished, hoped, that whatever happened between them just an hour before would be that push. 

As he pushed through the door to exit the building, the late evening sun temporarily blinded him. He blinked, trying to adjust to the light. When his vision returned, his gaze was drawn to Kakashi, perched on a tree branch. His book was held in front of him, deterring anyone from speaking to him. 

Iruka made his way to the man, not hesitating in the slightest. He smiled as he approached. Despite the uncertainty of what had happened, he was happy to see Kakashi. He was always happy to see him. Something about the way Kakashi’s façade of boredom and indifference lifted ever so slightly around Iruka made him feel special, that he really mattered. 

“Sensei,” Kakashi said in greeting, dropping from the tree to stand in front of Iruka. 

“Kakashi-san, I’m sorry to have made you wait,” Iruka said, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Just Kakashi,” the jounin said. “And it’s nothing. You were working. Now that your shift is over though, are you hungry? We could get dinner?” 

Iruka hadn’t realized how hungry he was until Kakashi said something. His stomach growled loudly, causing his whole face to turn red. 

“Famished, actually,” he said faintly. 

Kakashi chuckled softly. Iruka relished the sound, wanting it to last forever. 

“Where would you like to go? My treat.” 

“Do you really have to ask, Kakashi?” Iruka said with a laugh. He wondered if the light was playing tricks on him or if he spotted a faint blush on the tip of Kakashi’s ear and cheek. 

A huff of air left Kakashi, something that resembled a laugh, “ramen it is.” 

They walked to Ichiraku’s slowly, side-by-side, shoulders occasionally brushing. Warmth bloomed from the touches, spreading freely. Iruka relished in it, let it envelope him. The feeling of home settled within his heart when their fingers brushed each other. He took the feeling and pushed it into courage, tangling his fingers with Kakashi’s. He kept his head forward, not looking to see the other man’s reaction. The gentle squeeze of his hand was enough of an answer though. 

After a few more moments of silence, Iruka took a deep breath before speaking. 

“I never would have considered myself one of the lucky ones.” 

Kakashi didn’t have to ask Iruka what he meant. Being tied together by the Fates did not happen for everyone. The world was big and the chances of finding your soulmate were slim. People went their whole lives never knowing who they were eternally bound to. If one was fortunate enough to find that person, they quietly rejoiced, but did not gloat. It was not a taboo subject by any means, but not one openly discussed. 

“I think I might be getting the better deal here,” Kakashi replied, humor lacing his words. 

Iruka stopped short, looking at Kakashi, who had taken another step forward. Their hands stayed linked together, but were stretched between the two. 

“Why do you do that?” Iruka asked. 

Kakashi tilted his head in question. 

“You always discredit yourself, like you aren’t worth more than the dirt below our feet.” Iruka’s eyes were earnest, full of confusion. 

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed to be called out on his behavior. It was a defense mechanism, more than anything, though he really didn’t think much of himself. He tried not to dwell on those thoughts, using self-deprecating humor to distract from them. 

“Maa, sensei, I wouldn’t—” 

Iruka stepped up close to the man. The street around them was quiet, the evening bringing everyone into their homes. 

“You are one of the best people I have ever met. You care about those around you, far more than you care about yourself, usually at the detriment of yourself. Despite the aloof and bored image you display, that’s just what it is, a display. A façade. And if people took the time to get to know you, they would see underneath it. What’s that you say? Underneath the underneath? If people listened to you, took the time to understand you, they would see underneath the underneath.” Iruka had spoken in low tones, his voice even. His gaze never left Kakashi’s though and the air was thick with emotion. 

Kakashi was quiet for a moment before asking softly, “and how long have you been listening, Iruka? How long have you been able to see underneath my mask?” 

A blush bloomed across Iruka’s cheeks, making his scar stand out magnificently, “does that matter?” 

“Hm, perhaps not. But it makes me wonder how long we’ve been dancing around each other, wasting time.” Kakashi traced a finger across the bridge of Iruka’s nose, making the blush deepen. “You’re quite adorable when you blush.” 

Iruka tried to duck his head, but Kakashi caught his chin. 

“Let me make you blush forever?” Kakashi asked, leaning closer. Their noses were almost touching. Kakashi could feel the other man’s breath through his mask, warm in the chill of the spring night. Hesitant fingers reached for his mask, pausing in their movement when they touched the top. Kakashi blinked slowly, an almost imperceptible nod to the unasked question. Then his mask was down around his neck and a warm hand was cupping his cheek. Their foreheads pressed together, noses nuzzling the other. 

“Is that a promise?” 

“It is if you want it to be.” 

“Forever sounds perfect,” Iruka said before gently pressing his lips against Kakashi’s. 

Though neither noticed, too wrapped in one another, the red bands on their wrists glowed, humming with the power of a connection bigger than them, bigger than they could ever imagine. And even though neither had given much thought to who their soulmate could be, had not even the slightest inkling their lives could be irrevocably changed in a single moment, they found themselves quite content with whom Fate had bound them to. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! this was the first bang i've participated in and it was a pleasure to write for! 
> 
> check out my other [ kkir minibang fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24542794), as well as [ the other submissions](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/KakaIru_Mini_Bang/works). 
> 
> as always, stay safe and well out there. ♡
> 
> find me on [ tumblr](https://stupidbadgers.tumblr.com).


End file.
